Well pump



T. R. ALLEY April 11, 1950 WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1946 THOMAS P. ALLEY I N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS T. R. ALLEY April 11, 1950 WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1946 Fi 1/ THOMAS R. ALLEY [N V EN TOR.

ATTO R NETS.

T. R. ALLEY April 11, 1950 WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 24, 1946 THOMAS P. ALLEY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS T. R. ALLEY 2,503,986

7 mm. PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 11, 1950 Filed May 24, 1946 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMP Thomas R. Alley, Houston, Tex.

Application May 24, 1946, Serial No. 672,148

8 Claims. (Cl. 103-46) within the well tubing.

Another object is to provide a pump of the class described of which the rate of operation is controlled by the rate of continuous admission of the operating fluid thereto.

Still another object is to provide a fluid actuated pump from which the pumped and operating fluids are exhausted through common ports. The invention also comprehends the provision of a. pump having a single valve element which controls both the admission and exhaust of the power fluid and the intake and discharge of the well fluids to the tubing string.

It is also an object to provide a pump which is so constructed as to prevent the backing up of well fluids into the power tubing and also to prevent well fluids in the flow string from draining back into the well when operation of the device is discontinued.

A still further object is to provide a well pump in which power is applied directly to the piston on the pumping stroke and the piston rod is therefore subjected to tension only.

Still another object is to provide a well pump having opposed pistons provided with valve rings movable by power fluid as the stroke is completed to move the control valve and thereby eifect the reversal of travel of the piston assembly.

The foregoing together with other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying draw ings in which- Fig. 1 is an 'elevational view partly in section showing the upper portion of one embodiment of the invention, this figure showing details of the unloading valve assembly;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section showing the pump unit located in the tubing string and is a. continuation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive are vertical sectional views through successive portions of the pump unit showing the parts in their relative positions for the beginning of the down stroke of the piston assembly;

Figs. '7 to 11 inclusive are transverse sectional 55 2 views taken on lines l---'! to ll-ll in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, the direction of the respective sections of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 being indicated in the respective figures;

Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive are similar to F185. 4 to 6 inclusive, but show the parts in the relative positions for the beginning of the up stroke of the piston assembly;

Figs. 15 to 17 inclusive are transverse sectional views taken on lines l5-l5, l6l6 and ll-ll in Fig. 13, the orientation of these sections being indicated by the lines iii-l3 in the respective figures.

Figs. 18 and 19 are schematic diagrams showing the complete layout of the pump and its 7 flow passages and valves to facilitate an under- I standing of the invention. Fig. 18 shows the relative position of parts and directions of fluid flow at the beginning of, and during, the downstroke while Fig. 19 shows these conditions at the beginning of, and during, the upstroke.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an embodiment of the invention is shown installed within a casing I, the usual tubing 2 being suspended therein and having a special landing nipple 3 which comprises an element of a. control valve assembly I to which is attached a power tubing 5 through which power fluid is transmitted to the pump unit 6. A shoe 1 at the lower end of the pump unit forms a seal 8 with the collar 9 at the lower end of the tubing string 2. It is intended that the seal 8 will be formed simultaneous with the formation of the seal II with the nipple 3 when the device is lowered to pumping position at which time the head ll of the control valve assembly lands upon the shoulder l2 in the nipple 3.

The chamber l3 between the casing I and the tubing 2 is utilized to conduct power fluid to the device, a packer It being set therebetween so that there is formed a chamber l5 below the chamber l3 and about the pump unit 6. While the packer I 4 is usually used, it should be noticed that in some cases, particularly in shallow wells, the packer may be omitted and pressure fluid in the chamber l3 will, under such circumstances, be applied directly to the body of well liquid within the casing I.

The control valve assembly 4 comprises the landing. nipple 3 having internal shoulder I! to be engaged by a complementary outwardly extending shoulder on the head I I which is shaped to be engaged by a releasable connector so that the entire pump assembly may be lowered into or withdrawn from the tubing 2. The head ll is hollow and has ports is through which fluids pass as they move upwardly as indicated by the arrow H. A packing mandrel I8 is threadedly connected to the lower end of the head H in a manner to provide a peripheral groove for the upper seal ring it. This packing mandrel extends downwardl and is attached to the valve body 22 having depending skirt 2| which, together with ring 22 threaded thereon. forms a groove for the lower seal rings 23.

The valve body 20 has a passage 24 communicating with the annular space 25 about the mandrel i8 and thence through the passage 25 in the nipple 3 to the pressure fluid chamber l3. The passage 24 also extends both upwardly and downwardly in the valve body and the upper portion communicates with the small cage 21 in which there is a ball valve 28 adapted to seat within the upper end of the cage as indicated, or upon a seat at the upper end of the passage as indicated in dotted outline.

Alternately the ball valve may lift from its seat and effect aeration of fluids within the tubing 2 when pressures within and exteriorly of the tubing are substantially balanced. If these pressures are materially unbalanced the valve will, of course. seat as indicated in the drawing and hence pressure fluid entering through the passage 26 will be directed downwardly into the power tubing and thence to the pump unit 6.

The unit 6 comprises a body made up of upper and lower tubular sections 3i and 32 interconnected at 33 whereby there are provided upper and lower cylinders 34 and 35 to receive the pistom 35 and 31 respectively. These pistons are secured to the ends of a piston rod 38 slidable within the sleeve valve 40 which is in turn slidable within the bore 4| intermediate the cylinders 34 and 35. It seems apparent that the piston 35 divides the cylinder 34 into upper and lower chambers 42 and 43 while the piston 31 similarly divides the cylinder 35 into upper and lower chambers 44 and 45.

The uppermost and lowermost chambers 42 and 45 are pumping chambers. while the intermediate chambers 43 and it are power chambers.

Power fluid admitted from the power tubing 5 enters a passage 50 which communicates alternately through port 5| of the sleeve valve 40, passages 52 and 53, and thence to chambers 43 and 44 as the valve 40 is reciprocated through a limited distance in the manner to be described. At the same time power fluid is alternately exhausted from the chambers 43 and 44 through passages 54 and 55, and to ports 56 and 51 of the valve 40 as they move into matingrelation to complete these passages through exhaust outlets 58 and 59.

As the piston assembly is reciprocated by the power fluid in the manner just described, well fluid rises within the passage 50 to the port 6| in the valve 40 which port is in constant communication with the passage 80. When the valve 40 is in its lowermost position, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 19, fluid is conducted through port 6! to passage 62 leading to the lower end of the chamber 45. Hence, as the piston assembly approaches its uppermost limit of travel, the chamber 45 is filled with well fluid being pumped. At the same time well fluid previously taken into the upper chamber 42 is being exhausted through passage 63 and port 55 in valve 40 to the exhaust outlet 58 which, as abovepointed out, also serves as an exhaust for power fluid on the succeeding stroke.

When the valve 40 is in its uppermost position as shown in Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 18, the port 53 of the valve has moved to communicate with pas sage 54 and outlet 58 to exhaust power fluid from chamber 43. Simultaneously the lowermost port 51 of the valve has moved to communicate with passage 66 to exhaust piped fluid through exhaust outlet 59. Port 6| has moved into mating relation with passage and thereby communicates with passage 6'! whereby well fluids are admitted to chamber 42 to be exhausted therefrom on the succeeding stroke.

It is to be noted that each of the pistons 35 and 31 has a skirt portion within which is slidably fitted a valve ring, 10 which also flts closely about the piston rod 38. These valve rings are retained within the pistons by means of stop rings 1| and in this manner the valve rings are mounted for limited travel within the pistons.

The piston rod 38 has a longitudinal bore 12 which terminates in ports 173 within the pistons and inwardly of the valve rings iii. A radial passage or port it in the piston rod is normally closed as the rod moves within the sleeve valve 49. As the pistons approach the ends of their strokes this port is opened and pressure fluid is thereby admitted to the bore i2 whereby pressure is exerted upon the rings to move toward the innermost ends of the pistons. The ring on the innermost piston engages the end of the sleeve valve 35 and moves the valve to a new position. thereby covering the port 74 and initiating the succeeding stroke. When the port it is again uncovered at the opposite end of the stroke, this cycle is again repeated and in this manner the continuous pumping operation is efiected.

Positioned upon the upper portion of the valve 40 is a grooved port which communicates with the exterior of the pump body by means of radial passageway 8i. This arrangement serves to release pressure from above the valve ring 10 in the upper piston 36 and below the companion ring in the lower piston 31' through the passageway 12 when port it passes the grooved port on the down stroke of the piston rod 38. Likewise a grooved port 80 together with the radial port 8! serves to release pressure from the above indicated areas upon the upward stroke of the piston rod 39. Passageways 8i and Bi being of relatively small diameter, further serve to cushion the action of the valve 40 as it is moved in each direction.

Substantially midway between the ports just indicated there is the grooved interior port 32 in the valve 40, which port is connected by means of passage 83 with the well liquid intake port 60. The grooved port and passage serve to conduct a lubricating fluid to the surface of the sleeve valve 38.

The pumped and power fluids exhausted from exhaust ports 58 and 29 rise as indicated by the arrows l5 and pass upwardly through the openings 15 in the valve body 20 to be exhausted from the tubing 2 at the surface.

Power fluid admitted from the power tubing 5 enters a passage 5|! which communicates alternately through passages 52 and 53 with the inner chambers 43 and 44 of the cylinders as the port 5| of the sleeve valve 40 moves to and from mating relation with the respective passages. As these ports move from such mating relation is they form a communication with exhaust outlets 54 and 55 and in this manner the valve ports serve as both inlet and exhaust ports for the pressure fluid which is ultimately exhausted into the annular space about the pump body.

The operation of the device of the invention is believed apparent from the foregoing description. By way of summary it will be assumed that the tubing string 2, together with nipple 3 and the extension of the tubing string therebelow are already in place within a well. As previously indicated the packer l4 maybe installed, although in some cases this packer may I be omitted.

The entire control valve assembly 4 and the pump unit 6 are interconnected by means of the power tubing 5 and this assembly is lowered within the tubing 2, preferably upon a wire line although it is apparent that the unit could be lowered by means of a fluid pumped downwardly through the tubing 2.

When the control valve and pump unit assembly has landed in place upon the shoulder l2 and the respective seals are formed with the surrounding tubing, the complete assembly is ready for operation.

Pressure flu d is then introduced to the annular chamber l3 from the mouth of the well and such fluid is admitted through the passa eway 28 to the interior of the valve assembly 4. If the pressure wi hin the tubing 2 and that within the annular chamber l3 are substant ally equal, a slight increase in pre sure in the latter chamber will cause the ball valve 28 to rise and thereby to admit pressure fluid which aerates the column within the tubing 2. Such operation may continue until a portion of the fluid is ejected from the well or until such differential pressure has developed that the valve 28 engages its upper seat. Thereupon continued application of pressure fluid within the chamber l3 moves downwardly through the power tubing 5 whence it is admitted through the passage 50 in the pump body and the port 5| in the valve 40 alternately to the. upper and lower pressure chambers 43 and 44.

At the sam t me well fluid is adm tted throu h the passa e 60 to port 6| whence it is alternately directed through passages 62 and G1 to the lower and upper pumping chambers 45 and 42 respectively.

Part cular attention is directed to the fact 6 I the assembly intermediate said seals from the exterior of the tubing string, fluid operable pump means below said assembly, a power string connecting the assembly to said means there being constant communication between said opening and said power string, and additional means in said assembly responsive to an excess of pressure from within the tubing string for admitting the pressure fluid directly to said string.

2. In a well flowing device,a control valve assembly including a valve body, there being a passage from the exterior or to the interior of the body for the admission of a pressure fluid and said passage having upwardly and downwardly extending portions, a valve cage surrounding the upwardly extending portion of the passage, opposed valve seats in said cage, a valve within the cage movable to engage either of said seats and to a position intermediate thereof whereby an excess of pressure above the valve permits unseating from the upper seat and aeration of fluid thereabove, a fluid pressure actuated pumping unit below said assembly, and a power tubing connecting the downwardly extending portion of the passage to the unit and in constant communication with said passage.

3. In a fluid operated well pump, a body having spaced cylinders therein, a piston slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, a piston rod interconnecting said pistons, a sleeve valve slidable within the body between said cylinders, there being cooperating passages in said body and ports in said valve for alternately admitting well fluids to and exhausting such fluids from the cylinders outwardly from the pistons, and valve means in each of said pistons responsive to fluid pressure that at anv instant the pumpin piston is actuated by pressure appl ed to the opposite side thereof, and hence the force n cessary to effect pumping is not transm tted through the piston rod 38. For this rea on the p ston rod is subjected to tension only and the pos ibility of failure thereof or the. necessity oi. providing a mas ive piston rod structure are avoided.

It is understood of course that, as above explained. pressure fluid in the pow r chambers 43 and 44 is admitted through port 14 in the piston rod to actuate valve rin s 10 in proper sequence that the sleeve va ve 40 is mov d at the end of each stroke to effect the operational steps to which reference has just been made.

Broadly the invention comprehends a well pump of the pressure fluid operated type that is simple in construction, easy to install, and efficient in its operation.

The invention claimed is:

1. A well flowing device compris ng, a tubing string, a control valve assembly therein having spaced seals with the surrounding tubing, there being an opening to admit pressure fluid about for alternately moving said sleeve valve and admitting power fluid to the respective pistons as they successively complete the intake stroke.

4. In a fluid operated well pump, a body having spaced cylinders therein, a piston slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, a piston rod interconnecting said pistons, a sleeve valve slidable within the body between said cylinders, there being cooperating passages in said body and ports in said valve for alternately admitting well fluids to and exhausting such fluids from the cylinders outwardly from the pistons, a valve ring in each of said pistons, and means for moving the valve ring to actuate the sleeve valve as the vpistons approach the end of their stroke.

5. In a fluid operated well pump, a pump body, spaced aligned cylinders therein, pistons in said cylinders forming an inner and an outer chamber in each cylinder, a piston rod connecting said pistons, said piston rod having a passage therein terminating within ports interiorly of the pistons, a sleeve valve slidable axially of the body intermediate said cylinders, said piston rod passing slidably through said valve, there being an additional port in said rod normally closed by said valve but adapted to be uncovered as the pistons move to terminal positions, and a valve ring in each of said pistons operable by power fluid admitted through said additional port for movin the valve and reversing the stroke, and cooperating passages in the body and ports in the valve for alternately admitting power fluid to and exhausting power fluid from the chamber below the upper piston on the upward stroke and the chamber above the lower piston on the downward stroke.

6. In a fluid operated well pump, a, body having spaced cylinders therein, a piston slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, a piston rod interconnecting said pistons and having a passage lon- 1 gitudinaliy thereof and terminating proximate said pistons, a, valve slidable within the body between said cylinders, there being cooperating passages in said body and ports in said valve for alternately admitting well fluids to and exhausting such fluids from the cylinders outwardly from the pistons, and fluid actuated valve means in each of said pistons operable by pressure fluid admitted through the passage in the piston rod (or alternately moving said first mentioned valve and admitting power fluid to the respective pistons as they successively complete the intake stroke.

7. In a fluid operated .well pump, a body having spaced cylinders therein, a piston slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, a piston rod interconnecting said pistons and having a passage longitudinally thereof and terminating proximate said pistons, a valve slidable within the body bespaced cylinders therein, a piston slidably mounted in each of said cylinders, a piston rod interconnecting said pistons and having a passage longitudinally thereof and terminating proximate said pistons, a valve slidable within the body between said cylinders, there being cooperating passages in said body and ports in said valve for alternately admitting well fluids to and exhausting such fluids from the cylinders at one side of each of said pistons and for alternately admitting power fluid to the other side of each of said Distcns to effect reciprocation thereof, and fluid actuated valve means in each of said pistons operable by pressure fluid admitted through the passage in the piston rod for alternately moving said first mentioned valve and admitting the power fluid to the respective pistons as they successively tween said cylinders, there being cooperating passages in said body and ports n said valve for alternately admitting well flui s to and exhausting such fluids from the cylinders outwardly from the pistons and for alternately admitting power fluid to the opposite sides of such pistons to eii'ect reciprocation thereof, and fluid actuated valve means in each of said pistons operable by pressure fluid admitted through the passage in the piston rod for alternately moving said flrst mentioned valve and admitting power fluid to the respective pistons as they successively complete the intake stroke.

8. In a fluid operated well pump, a body having complete the intake stroke.

THOMAS R. ALLEY.

REFERENCES crrnn 7 The following references are of record in the flle of this patent: 

